Harlem Book Fair * July 18, 2020

Harlem Book Fair * July 18, 2020

The annual event will be different this year. After 22 years of welcoming children and adults to their wide selections of events in person, the 2020 HBF will be “virtual”.

~ “HBF2020 will be live-streamed on Facebook Live, with simultaneous links to YouTube, Instagram Live, QBR.com, Harlembookfair.com, CAOTtv.com” 

~ “Multi-platform broadcasting: The Harlem Book Fair will be available where online readers go for their information. New readers; new audiences”

~ “Your favorite books, authors, and most compelling issues presented directly to your device.” 

22nd Annual Harlem Book Fair

Saturday, July 18, 2020

“The vision of the Harlem Book Fair is to partner with local and national leadership organizations under the banner of literacy awareness, affirming HBF as the nation’s largest African American literary event celebrating family literacy, community empowerment, and community cooperation.“

 

 

The August Wilson Century Cycle

The August Wilson Century Cycle

The ambitious intentions of a playwright resulted in the impressive, and enjoyable, “August Wilson Century Cycle” box set. It consists of a play for every decade of the 20th century that would chronicle some part of the black experience in America. 

Through the use of his great ear for dialogue, Wilson (4/45 – 10/05) was able to give us some insight into the daily life – both struggles and triumphs – of an assortment of universal characters that his audience could easily recognize.

An amazing undertaking, but, his huge vision was realized and it resulted in 2 Pulitzer Prizes, a Tony award and many other accolades. He accomplished a lot doing what he loved to do and perhaps more importantly, August Wilson left a powerful body of work that will be read and performed for years to come. Dreaming big has rewards of all kinds.

All 10 of August Wilson’s plays are collected in hard cover with a nice presentation box. Each has an introduction by an actor, director or writer familiar with his work

In 2005, August Wilson completed the ten-play cycle:

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“Soul Of A Nation” at the S.F. De Young Museum

“Soul Of A Nation” at the S.F. De Young Museum

The “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983″ exhibit has been traveling the U.S. since last year. NYC, Houston and most recently last Fall in LA, it  is now ending its San Francisco stay at the De Young Museum. The presentation “shines a bright light on the vital contribution of Black artists made over two decades, beginning in 1963 at the height of the civil rights movement…” 

“Featuring the work of more than 60 influential artists* and including vibrant paintings, powerful sculptures, street photography, murals, and more, this landmark exhibition is a rare opportunity to see era-defining artworks that changed the face of art in America.”

* Romare Bearden, Barkley Hendricks, Noah Purifoy, Martin Puryear, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar, Alma Thomas, Charles White, William T. Williams

Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983 (Til March 15, 2020)

De Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA

(Photo: A Boy in front of the Loew’s 125th Street Movie Theater, Dawoud Bey, 1976)

 

 

 

 

“I Paint My House” – African Women’s Decorative Arts

“I Paint My House” – African Women’s Decorative Arts

“I Paint My House” by Margaret Courtney-Clarke is a collection of photographs of African women showing how they decorate their homes. In addition to pottery and textiles, there is a South and West African tradition of painting the outside of the house with bold shapes and bright colors representing the people that live inside. The women are able to express themselves as family history is documented through art and design.

paint.houseMs Courtney-Clarke has also produced coffee table sized books, “African Canvas: The Art of West African Women”, filled with her photographs of the bright geometric designs of Berber and Ghanaian women.

(“I Paint My House” is actually a book of postcards. But, the murals and decorations are so vibrant and alive, I haven’t mailed any.)

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Must See Art!

Sort of like “must see TV”, this 996 page book, “1001 Paintings You Must See Before Your Die”, edited by Stephen Farthing, contains art that we must all see if wishing for a full life.

It’s described as a “highly browsable guide embraceing all cultures and every style of painting from 4,000 BC to the present. A visually arresting reference for art lovers and students, it provides a truly comprehensive worldwide gazeteer of paintings organized chronologically by date of completion.”

 

 

 

African American Life & History On View At The Smithsonian

African American Life & History On View At The Smithsonian

This wonderful, amazing space is always packed during the Summer. Maybe a nice Fall visit will give an opportunity to see more ~ without the lines 🙂

The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in September 2016. There’s lots to see and experience. The museum’s 11 massive galleries contain more than 30,000 priceless artifacts collected from all over the country.

Oprah Winfrey has her own exhibit devoted to her 25 years on T.V. Video highlights from her shows, letters & journals, photographs, etc all gathered to acknowledge an amazing life – Oprah!

Founding director Lonnie Bunch says, “This is not (nor was it ever intended to be) the National Museum of Discrimination…For me, the African American experience is an experience not of tragedy, but of unbelievable belief — belief in themselves, belief in an America that often didn’t believe in them”.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

smithsonian-museum-african-american-2016

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